


Despite all Odds

by MayLee21



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Action & Romance, Canon-Typical Violence, Eventual Romance, F/M, Female Friendship, Fluff and Angst, Force Sensitivity (Star Wars), Jedi Training (Star Wars), Movie: Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Original Character(s), Planet Hoth (Star Wars), Star Wars - Freeform, first attempt at writing ocs, no beta we die like troopers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-14 04:55:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28789851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MayLee21/pseuds/MayLee21
Summary: Post episode 4: A New Hope."We will meet again, I promise."Just months after the destruction of the first Death Star, Childhood friends Claire and Valerie were stationed at the Rebel base of Hoth. But with the arrival of the new heroes of the rebellion and the threat of the empire, they were thrown directly into the front line of the war.
Relationships: Han Solo/Original Female Character(s), Luke Skywalker/Original Female Character(s)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my first fanfic in the Star Wars fandom. I’ve been an avid reader in this fandom for years, but have never tried to write a story myself. After rewatching the original trilogy, I had to get this out of my system. Seeing one of my childhood heroes appear in the Mandalorian was the last push it took for me. 
> 
> So enjoy ~
> 
> I’m a casual fan, so please don’t roast me on my mistakes with canon. You can of course point them out though.
> 
> Love
> 
> May

  
**Chapter 1**

It was cold. As usual. Claire could feel the chilly feeling in her bones before she even opened her eyes. The thick blanket that was provided for every rebel recruit still wasn’t nearly enough to keep you warm at night, when you were stationed at a such hostile planet as Hoth. What wouldn’t she do for the warm temperatures of her home planet in in the inner Core, Alcitria. When she finally lifted the blanket and stepped into her warm boots, she shivered. Even though her from was small, it had been her home for the last few months, ever since the Rebellion chose Hoth as their main station since the first Death Star was destroyed. She sighed and as she saw the puffs of air forming in front of her, she wanted to do nothing more than get back into the bed.

As the base was underneath the ice of the planet, she didn’t know if it was morning or night, but if the light that was streaming through her room’s door was any indication, it had to be at least day time. Another day of guiding the pilots over the icy landscape of the planet it was.

After she had quickly stepped into the fresher and put on her usual dark blue clothes, layering them up to get the maximum amount of protection from the cold, she put her hair back into a long braid and with a final exhale she stepped into the corridor of the living quarters. The cold light of the artificial lighting on the ceiling greeted her as usual. It was another busy day. People were hurriedly walking over the floor, in teams or alone, carrying data pads or discussing important business. As Claire tried to hide a yawn behind her hand, she quickly stepped aside as a group of pilots in their orange and white vests came jogging through the corridor.

“Good morning, Ms. Celestite!”, one of them exclaimed in passing, but before she was able to see who she had to respond to, they were already off to another hangar.

Claire was just about to head into the cantina for breakfast, when the door next to opened and she was greeted by the sight of her best friend, Valerie. Even though the woman was looking at every passing person as if she wanted to murder them, she was wearing her usual attire of a purple dress, layered with a thick coat and boots. Even though they were on the coldest planet in the system, she wouldn’t give up her family’s traditional clothing. Well, as a princess of Alcitria she was basically able to wear anything, as nobody could tell her otherwise.

“I take it as you have slept well?” Claire asked with a slight grin on her face, walking over to her.

“As good as possible given the circumstances. Honestly, I believe it is getting colder and colder in my room with each passing day! And the water in the fresher was cold again. It’s barely morning, dammit. Who do you think used up all the hot water again, hm?” Valerie pulled her coat closer and looked around. “My money is on Pilot Ruiz, you know how he is.”

Claire chuckled and shook her head. “Let’s go grab some breakfast before it’s another day in the comm centre, shall we?”

Valerie sighed in resignation and together they made their way though the corridors to the cantina. Inside, it was full, but it was toasty warm and honestly, that was all that mattered. Multiple groups of people were sitting at the long tables, taking in the rare warmth of the room, trying to escape the harsh climate of the planet that was felt in every other room of the base. After a few minutes they were finally able to find two vacant seats at one end of a table and sat down. Immediately, the older man next to Valerie stood up and sat down somewhere else. Valeria didn’t even grace him with a look, but Claire shook her head.

“How long has it been? Eight weeks at least, since we’ve been here. They should trust you by now. With your powers, you have saved at least a few of their asses out there.” She murmured and pointed at the silver lightsaber that was hanging at Valerie’s belt.

Valerie smiled slightly. “Well, they know that my family had once been an ally to the Sith. That I was trained by one before turning. I guess that is what matters most to them.”

“They should be glad to have someone like you in their ranks. From what I’ve heard, you are among the last Jedi, there haven’t been a lot ever since The empire rose to power.” Claire said.

“If the rumours are true, there seems to be another one. Has blown up the Death Star I think, with the help of his friend.”

Claire nodded slowly. Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. They had been celebrated a few months back, for achieving what no one else had been able to. But with that many rumours floating around, one could never know what was fact and fiction. She doubted that this Luke Skywalker had used his lightsaber to cut through the reactor of the Death Star. Claire rolled her eyes.

“I’ll get us something to eat. Do you want coffee or tea?” Valerie asked and stood up.

“Some tea, thank you.” Claire smiled and couldn’t hide her grin when Valerie made her way to the counter to order them breakfast and hot drinks. Everyone else in the line deliberately tried to avoid looking at her, stepping away even just the tiniest bit, as if she was about to explode. She would never doubt her allegiance. Not after what had happened on their home planet, when the Empire turned on them and the royal family deliberately chose to ally with the Rebels.

When Valerie retuned, Claire basically chucked the cup fo tea out of her best friend’s hands. It was deliciously warm and cozy, something she had dearly missed in her room. Valerie laughed and put down the plates of food.

“It’s nothing much, but it will keep us full.” She said and dug into the slimy substance that, if Claire was correct, should resemble oats.

As they were eating, the usual hussle and bussle around them continued. People were coming into the cantina with frozen ends of hair and clothing full with snowflakes, sighing in relieve when they felt the warmth of the cantina, while others left the room in their warmest clothing, protection goggles over their eyes, ready for the snowstorms outside. Claire didn’t envy them. Even though her and Valerie sometimes wanted to do anything else than communicating with the pilots as they explored the Hothnian surface, when the pilots came back half frozen, they had learned to appreciate being in a at least almost decently warm room, protected from the snow.

They were just about to stand up and leave for work, when a group of pilots entered the cantina, seemingly excited. Every day was the same here on Hoth, as to why they immediately got the room’s full attention.

“They are coming! They will be here shortly!” One of the pilots exclaimed with shiny eyes and a big smile on his face.

Around them, people started to whisper to one another in hushed voices. Valerie raised an eyebrow, unimpressed, while Claire desperately tried to not choke on the mouthful of oats she was currently swallowing.

Who was coming? Was it a commander?  
  


“What are you talking about?” Said someone from further back. “Who’s coming here?”

“The ones who destroyed the Death Star! Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Han Solo!” The pilot said and all hell broke lose.

“They are here? Now? Why?”

Valerie and Claire looked at each other. They had heard the story, of course, but they had never seen them in person, maybe briefly at a base, before they had been off doing secret things normal people didn’t get to know. Why were they here, now?

“Now, let’s see who those celebrities are, shall we?” Valerie murmured and slurped her drink, while many of the people around them were already on their feet, trying to catch a glimpse outside.  
  


Not even a minute later, the doors opened and in stepped three people, followed by a tall Whookie. Claire saw the woman first, her hair in a tight knot and dressed in a white dress, not yet accustomed to this climate. That had to be the Princess of Alderaan, whose planet was destroyed by the Death Star. She felt sympathy for her.

“Guess, who’s the Jedi and who’s the pilot?” Valerie whispered to her, just as the rest of the room had fallen silent.

The three people stopped in their tracks. The shorter man looked kind of uncomfortable, smiling politely, while the other one rolled his eyes. The Wookie gave a friendly roar as a greeting. That seems to break the silence. The first people made their way to the three, patting them on the shoulder and thanking them for their work.

“It’s an honour, Mr. Skywalker.” The pilot from earlier exclaimed as he shook the hand of the shorter man, who smiled in return, but still didn’t seem to want to be here. Claire couldn’t blame him. She also hated that much attention. Maybe they just wanted to get a drink after coming from who knows where and now they were showered in compliments.

“I can tell you, the taller on seems a little full of himself.” Valerie said and rolled her eyes. Claire lifted her brows and looked over to who she thought was Han Solo, who was grinning, seemingly enjoying their admirers. She had to agree with her friend.

When Claire’s attention was caught by the lightsaber reflecting on the shorter man’s belt, she nodded to herself. So it was true. There still was at least one Jedi alive. Those rumours were true.

She was just about to look away, when the man looked in her direction. His eyes found hers and for a few seconds she just remained in that position, wondering about how blue his eyes truly were. When he greeted her with a polite nod, she quickly returned it and looked away, her face beginning to heat up. Valerie only chuckled.

“My, my, it’s barely been five minutes and you already have a crush on the guy? I thought the day would never come where you would fancy anybody”

Claire shook her head. “I don’t...” She tried to say. 

“Of course, Claire, of course.” Valerie grinned. “From what I’ve heard, he is a pilot as well, you might be able to speak to him later on over the comms.”

Claire only sighed in defeat.

“Well, let’s get out of here. I can’t hear anymore of Solo guys boasting.” Valerie muttered. As she stood up, she knocked over her drink, which still had some tea in it. Quickly, Claire tried to grab it, even though the distance was too wide. But while everyone was focused on the trio and Valerie was busy tying a knot of her coat, the drink seemed to stop mid air, before slowly standing up again. Claire could only stare at it, completely stunned. Had that just happened?

“Are you coming?”

Valerie’s voice let her look up and she hastily stood as well. “Of course, let’s go.”

And while the newly arrivals were still being bombarded with questions, the two of them walked out of the doors. Just before they closed, Claire could swear to have seen Han Solo turn his head to them, glancing at Valerie, before quickly looking away again.

As they made their way to the comm centre, she grinned to herself.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claire and Valerie make first contact with the heroes of the rebellion, good and bad

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back and thank you for reading!
> 
> Feel free to comment or leave your feedback, I’d love to hear from you.
> 
> May

  
**Chapter 2**

  
Just when they had walked into the comm centre room, they were already bombarded by other navigators, asking them questions. 

“Did you see them?”

“What do they look like?”

“Is Han Solo as good looking as everybody says?”

“Does Luke Skywalker really have a lightsaber? Like, a real one?”

Claire tried to get to her desk, but more people chimed in, asking their questions. With a desperate look she looked over to Valerie, who had crossed her arms and kept rolling her eyes with each question of “Han Solo is hot, even to you, right?” After a few minutes, she seemed to have had enough.

“Why don’t you ask him yourself, I’m sure he would love the added compliments!” She said sarcastically and rolled her eyes. Then, she maneuvered Lisa and herself through the crowd and to their respectable desks. A few people stormed out of the room, on their way to the cantina, Claire would bet, while the rest went back to work right after Senator Organa spoke up and commanded everybody to go back to work.

Claire sighed and sat down at her desk, looking at the glass board with blinking locations of their airborne pilots. It wasn’t many, as it was still only morning. And now that most pilots were probably still gushing over the newly arrived. She thought back to the cup that seemingly moved on its own. She was probably just imagining things...right? Should she tell Valeria? No, it wasn’t important. She shook her head and looked at the blinking blue dots in front of her. Blue. Like that Jedi’s eyes. Luke Skywalker. “Dammit.” She thought and bit her lip. She had to concentrate on her work, not some random hero. Why was she like that? She had never really had a crush and now I had to be a glorified hero of the rebellion? She sighed and wanted to put on her headset to take up the first call when another woman tapped her on the shoulder.

“Excuse me, Ms. Celestite?” She said, her groups of friends giggling behind her.

Claire sighed again and looked up. “Yes, what is it?”

“Sorry to bother you, but, well, you have seen them, right?” The woman stammered.

Claire closed her eyes for just a second. “Yes, we have, but only briefly, so I won’t be able to answer-“

“So who do you think is the better looking one, Mr. Solo or Mr. Skywalker?”

Not that again, please no. Claire vaguely heard Valerie chuckle in the background. Trying her hardest not to think about the few seconds she had had eye contact with one of the men, she put on her headset and put her microphone into the correct position, still on mute.

“Well?” The woman asked again.

Just to get out of the situation, Claire quickly said the first thing that came to mind, so they would leave her alone. “...Luke Skywalker, I guess.”

Valerie full-on laughed behind her and Claire tried not to sense the heat coming up in her face as the girl giggled and with an “I knew it, he’s just so handsome!” Went through the door with her friends and away.

“Stop it, I just reacted so they would leave me alone.” She said to her best friend, who nodded with raised eyebrows and a grin on her face. “Sure you did.”

After Claire had taken the first call and had noted down what the pilot had told her about the route he was flying and occurrences, Valeria rolled over to her with her chair.

“Who knows, you might actually get the chance to speak to “Mr. Skywalker” today if you’re lucky.” She teased.

Claire groaned and slumped over in her chair. “Why am I friends with you again?”

“You love me.”

“Truly.” She answered ironically.

She wasn’t even sure if she wanted to meet that Luke Skywalker, let alone talk to him. With a sigh, she returned to her work and took the next call.

A few hours went by, uneventful and peaceful. She noted down what the pilots told her and gave the information to others or gave other pilots their start signal. Valerie did pretty much the same until she took yet another call which let her grin.

“Ah, of course, Commander Skywalker, how nice that you joined the pilots in their mission. I must say I am not an expert in your question field but I have just the communicator for the job in mind. Please hold.” She said, before pressing a few buttons and nodding towards Claire.

“He’s connected with your headset now. Have fun.”

Claire slowly turned towards her headset laying on the table before staring at her friend. “Are you serious?” She mouthed.

“Come on, you can’t let a hero of the rebellion wait.” Valerie grinned.

With one last devastating look, Claire turned around and put on her headset. She would find a way to get revenge, she knew that.

“Mr. Skywalker, Ms, Celestite of the main comm. centre here. How may I help you?” She tried to ask as neutral as possible, not letting her voice waver ever so slightly.

“Good day, Ms. Celestite. Your colleague said you were an expert on the Hothnian landscape?”

Claire pressed a hand to her eyes and took a deep breath. A what now?

“Y-yes, that is correct, sir.” She answered then.

The man only laughed. “No need to call me sir. I’m Luke,” he said in a friendly manner.

She cleared her throat. “Ah yes, understood, sir- Luke, I mean.” She would kill Valerie. She would.

Luke laughed again. “Well, if that is so, then would you mind bringing me up to date with our current locations on the planet and our routes?”

Claire sighed in relief. She could actually do that.

“Of course...Luke. I’m Claire, by the way.”

And with that, she was back in her element.

Claire was still on her comms, talking to Luke when Valerie took down her headset and stood up to take a break. She stretched her arms and took one last look at her friend who was still in deep conversation. She smirked.

But before she could even move on foot towards the door, they opened on their own, and in came Leia Organa and pilot Han Solo. Valerie let out an annoyed huff, just as all people that weren’t currently focused on their work silently looked at them.

“Father!” Princess Leia said and walked over to senator Organa who was standing near another glass board, looking up with a smile.

“Leia, it’s good to see you.” He smiled.

Han Solo was left awkwardly standing in the middle of the room, hands in his pockets. All female eyes were on him, of course, they were, as he smirked and winked at one of them, who promptly became red and hurried away.

When that behaviour carried on, Valerie had enough. Within a few seconds she was in the middle of the room, dragging the pilot towards the door with one hand, the other on her lightsaber, not really a threat, but it let the other people turn around and mind their own damn business.

When the doors closed behind them and they were alone in the corridor, she let go of him.

“Hey, who do you think you are to drag me-“ Solo began, but Valerie disrupted him mid-speech.

“You look like you have traveled a lot as a pilot, you should recognise my clothing style.” She said, looking at him expectingly.

He grinned and looked her up and down. “Of course I do. Princess of the Lapis Lazuli I suppose, hm?” He asked with a cocky tone. She hated it.

“In fact I am. And you were distracting the other workers. You should get busy yourself or do you think you don’t have anything to do just because you help save the day a few months back?” She nodded towards the door. “At least the person who destroyed the thing is already up and helping.”

“What, you mean Luke, the kid? He can’t help himself. Always has to have something to do.”

“Then he should be an example to you.” She answered promptly.

He rolled his eyes, but then his eyes fixed onto the lightsaber at her belt. “Don’t tell me you are also one of Luke’s kind, some kind of force mystic?”

“I’m guessing you mean Jedi, which you are excused from not knowing as I don’t expect a smuggler to do so-“

Han looked at her in protest but she continued.

“...No, not really. He seems to be the last one.”

“What are you then, princess?”

Valerie wanted to wipe away that cocky grin from his face.

“I don’t label myself.”

“Do you mean that or are just scared to tell me it’s a red one?”

That was the breaking point for her. With all her willpower she forced down the anger that was building up inside her belly. “You don’t get to know that, smuggler!” She said and turned around, one hand against her lightsaber in an act to calm herself down. Before she stepped inside the comm. the room again, she turned around one last time. “And don’t come back here again!”

A few hours later Claire and Valerie left work and made their way towards the cantina for dinner.

Both of them were hoping not to run into any famous person. Valeria was still fuming from her encounter with a certain smuggler and Claire constantly let her conversation with Luke play in her head on repeat, noting every bad phrasing and stumble of words. He honestly didn’t want to face him.

“It’s only been a day and I already want them gone,” Valerie said as they walked along the corridor.

Claire only nodded in approval. She thought the same and just wanted to eat something and let the day die out already.

They rounded another corner. “What do you think they’ll have for din-“ She started but felt herself collide with another person. She stumbled backward, holding her aching nose. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t see-“ She began and looked up to a very worried looking Luke Skywalker, still in his flight attire. He put a hand on her shoulder.

“Are you okay? I’m sorry, I didn’t see you.” He said with an apologetic expression and Claire swore that those eyes would haunt her in her dreams. Dammit.

“No, it was my fault.” She hurriedly stepped back, as if his touch had burned her.

He sighed in relief and smiled. “You are the one from the comm., right? Thank you again, Ms. Celestine, you are truly gifted in your profession.”

Claire’s face heated up just as Valeria cleared her throat to conceal her laughter.

“Thank you, sir.” She humbled, avoiding his eyes.

“It’s Luke, as you know.”

“Yes, of course, Luke.” She smiled back.

Then his eyes fixed on Valerie’s lightsaber. “So, what Han said was true. You are a lightsaber wielder. Why don’t we three go to the cantina together? I would love to hear more about your backstory. It’s a relief there is someone else who understands the force, ever since my Master died, I was alone.”

Valerie seemed conflicted, but took one look at Claire, who was trying to tell her not to say yes, and seemed to misinterpret it. Deliberately.

“Yes, that sounds like a great idea, actually. Don’t you think so, too, Claire?”

Luke looked up at her and his blue eyes met hers. She had to smile back. “Yes, of course.” His smile got even wider and he led them to the cantina.

“I hate you, you know?” Claire whispered to Valerie.

Valerie didn’t seem to hear her and only grinned while looking from Luke to her and back, wiggling her eyebrows.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claire and Valerie talk to Luke and discover hidden truths.

**Chapter 3**

The three of them walked through the corridors of the base with people starting to whisper to each other as soon as they passed.

“Do they know each other?”

“I wouldn’t have expected Skywalker to have contact with a former Sith!”

Valerie ignored the comments as best as she could, while Claire had gently put a hand on her arm in an act to calm her down. She took a look at the Jedi walking in front of them, but Luke had a neutral expression on his face, seemingly not hearing what was being said.

They chose a table in one of the corners of the cantina, shielded from the view of the other rebels. This far at one side, the murmur of the others seemed to fade away, making it easier to ignore them. Claire worried about what the Jedi had to be thinking, how he would see Valerie when he knew what she had been, but he only smiled.

“It is great to be in action again, after the few months of rest.” He commented to break the silence.

“From what we’ve heard you deserved the break,” Valerie responded and nodded to his lightsaber on his belt. “You cut right through the reactor of the Death Star with that?”

Luke gave a huffed laughter and shook his head. “No, that seems to have been added by rumours. I used the laser canons of my X-wing.”

“Then you must be a talented pilot,” Claire answered, looking him in the eyes for the first time.

He smiled at her. “Why thank you for the compliment.”

They kept on holding each other’s gaze for a few seconds and Claire got a sense of deja-vu from earlier. Heat started to keep into her cheeks again and she cleared her throat and looked at Valerie for help to ease the tension.

“So, you wanted to learn something about me and my lightsaber?” Her friend asked and unbuckled it to lay it onto the table, the silver gleaming in the blue light of the cantina.

His gaze was shifted towards the weapon and he looked at it with great interest.

“I did. It looks like nothing I have seen before, certainly not like mine or the one of my former master.” He took it in from every angle. “May I?” He asked and reached for it.

Valerie hesitated but nodded then. Without her weapon, she felt defenseless, but he at least seemed to know what he was doing, as he was also wielding one.

Claire couldn’t help but jump a little bit when Luke ignited the blade with a fluid motion, the violet blade emerging from its hilt. Valerie hadn’t used it often ever since she had joined the rebellion, seeing how frightened people were whenever she did, fearing she’d strike them down, associating it with the Sith.

Luke inclined his head as he moved the blade around. “Fascinating, truly fascinating. I have never seen such a colour before, only the blue of mine and the red...” He trailed off and pushed the button to turn it off again.

“Is it true then, that you have been trained by the Sith before turning to the light?” He asked.

Valerie took the lightsaber back onto her belt, where she kept holding on to it.

“I did yes.” She managed to say. Claire looked at her in a hopefully comforting way. She knew how hard it was for her friend to talk about her past. But she trusted her and never mentioned it. She was a different person now after she and her whole family had been turned by the Jedi who had sought refuge on their planet in the dark times.

“But you chose the light. Your lightsaber reflects that. It is a relief that I am not alone in this, that there are others who feel the Force as I do.” He smiled.

Valerie seemed to be taken aback. Claire blinked quickly. She wouldn’t have thought that he excepted Valerie's past this quickly. A small smile kept on her face. With every minute she liked him more. A fuzzy feeling came over her, just as Luke was busy taking off his own lightsaber, looking away. Valerie looked at her friend and they quietly agreed that Luke Skywalker wasn’t in fact an arrogant hero full of himself.

“May I?” Claire asked him and pointed towards his weapon. “Even though I don’t have...the same connection as you with the Force, I have always been fascinated by them.”

He exhaled and looked at her for a second and Claire felt as if he could look into her soul. She desperately tried not to think of the incident in the cantina. It had to have been an accident. It had to. But then he just smiled and extended his hand with the weapon in it. When Claire carefully grabbed it, their fingers touched for just a moment, sending an electric current through her veins, but she quickly pulled away again.

While she was tracing the lightsaber with her fingers, there was a strange pull extending from it towards her, pulling her in, forming a sort of connection. It felt right in her hands, not too heavy or too big. Strange.

After a few seconds, she felt a pair of eyes studying her from across the table. If she would have looked up, she would have locked eyes with Luke again, but she didn’t dare to.

“The force is truly mysterious. Everybody can feel it in some way, but to some, it calls out. Some have a gift to use it.” He said calmly, his eyes still on her.

She still didn’t look up, when she handed it back to him. “It is good to know that there are now two people among us who can do so.” She said carefully.

He nodded, his expression unreadable. “Yes, two of us....”

Then he stood up and went over to get them something to drink.

A little while later, Claire was back in her room for the night. It was still as cold as in the morning, but after freshening up and putting on her nightclothes, she pulled her blanket over herself and sat down on the edge of the bed. The incident at the cantina never left her head. Had it truly been an incident?

Biting her lip, she looked at the mug standing on her nightstand. She could try to move it? No, she was being ridiculous. That would never work...Still, she fixed her gaze onto the cup, trying to get it to move. Nothing happened. Of course, nothing happened. With a relieved sigh she sat back, laughing a little. It had been a coincidence.

A few minutes later, just as she was about to lay down and turn off her lights, she looked at it again, trying to move it with a tired thought. She was just about to look away as the impossible happened: The mug began to shake a little, before lifting up from the table, even just a few centimetres. Claire couldn’t believe what she was seeing, eyes wide open. The mug began to fly towards her, slowly but surely. Was she dreaming? Hallucinating? What was happening?

When she heard a knock on her door, she froze, and the mug with her in mid-air.

“Are you still awake, Claire? May I come in?” She heard the muffled voice of her friend Valerie through the door.

Frantically she tried to grab the mug out of the air and hide it before Valerie stepped into the room. Just as the door opened the mug came crashing down, shattering on the cold floor of the room.

Valerie stepped into the room and raised an eyebrow.

“I’m sorry, I dropped it. Must be tired.” Claire tried to lie and laugh a little, but it came off as forced.

Valerie looked at her in quite the same way Luke Skywalker had when she had been looking at his lightsaber. What wouldn’t she give to know what she was thinking?

“What were you talking about with that Han Solo guy earlier? I saw you two leave the comm. room.” Claire tried to change the subject.

Valerie was silent for a few seconds, then she let the topic of the conversation change and Claire couldn’t help but sigh in relief.

“Oh, let me tell you, he is just as arrogant and full of himself as we thought...” Valerie began and sat down on the bed next to her, also covering herself with the rest of the blanket.

“Tell me about it?” Claire asked.

And that was exactly what her friend did, fuming over the audacity of that guy, while Claire tried to relax and not think about what had happened just a few minutes ago. They spent the rest of the evening talking. Even though the base was underground, they could still hear the snowstorm that was coming down onto the surface.

———


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claire and Valerie do their work, while the snow storm becomes more and more of a problem.

** Chapter 4 **

A few days later the snow storm still hadn’t fully cleared. Pilot explorations were still ongoing, they were reduced in size though, as only the ones that felt brave and skilled enough to do so left the flight hangars of the main base. Most people stayed inside, trying to shield themselves from the cold as best as possible, seeking refuge in the warm cantina.

It were a few uneventful days, with traffic over the comms having been reduced to a minimum, most communicators went on to do other jobs, as managing the technology or updating the data storages. Claire and Valerie were the only ones on duty for comm. link traffic that morning. The room was pretty quiet, with only the sound of incoming calls cutting through the silence now and then.

“This is comm. base.” Claire said when she picked up another call of one of the few patrols going around on their tauntauns.

Valerie sat at the table next to her, her hair open as always, re-applying her lipstick.

“You are clear to go. Good luck out there, it’s still pretty heavy.” Claire gave clearance to the patrol, then took off her headset to look at her friend.

“It’s literally hell out there and there are still people going outside.” Valerie shook her head. “Not even the Empire could force me out there, no thank you.”

Claire grinned. “Well, someone has to do it, and now that flying around literally means suicide, this is the best option I suppose.”

“I really hope it will get more interesting again tomorrow. I can’t handle this any longer.” Valerie sighed and rolled around in her chair.

“Hey, you haven’t seen this Han Solo guy in a few days, maybe you can boss him around some more if he is only doing mischief,” Claire replied with a slight smirk.

Valerie looked at her as if she was some sort of alien. “I’m glad I haven’t seen that smuggler in a few days. Who knows what he is up to. I most certainly don’t wanna know.” She shivered and pulled her coat closer to herself. “I swear the cantina is the only warm place in this whole base. Is it time for lunch yet, I’ll become an icicle before then.”

Claire lifted her eyebrows but stayed quiet.

“What about Mister Jedi and you, hm? Have you seen him ever since that one time in the cantina?” Valerie asked curiously.

Claire quickly shook her head. “No, I’m sure he’s busy doing whatever. Why would he even visit me?”

Valerie grinned. “Oh, no reason at all. Second long eye contact more than once is totally normal.”

Claire bit her lip. “That was just...I don’t know what you mean.” But deep inside she wanted to see him again, that she knew. With every passing day, she kept wondering if she should open up to him about her incidents with the cups. Maybe she should tell that to her friend though first. She certainly wouldn’t judge her if it was nothing.

“Hey, there’s something I have to tell you, Val.” She began, but just as Valerie turned towards her, leaning forward in interest, the signal for an incoming call erupted on Claire’s headset and she stopped mid-sentence.

“This is comm. base, how may I help-“ Her eyes widened as she heard a familiar voice over the speaker.

“Claire, is that you? What are the odds.” The voice of Luke Skywalker came through, though muffled what Claire assumed was the ongoing snowstorm outside.

She cleared her throat and quickly replied. “Luke, good to hear from you.”

“From you as well.” He replied. A quick and slightly awkward pause followed while Claire looked at her best friend whose grin widened with each passing second.

“Listen, I just wanted to chime in to tell you that I will take off to do the grant patrol around the base, just looking for anything that could endanger the base.”

Claire could hear the low sound of a tauntaun coming through the comm. link.

“All right, good luck to you. It’s a pretty heavy storm, make sure to come back in one piece. The base would suffer a great loss if not.” Claire said and could punch herself. She closed her eyes.

Luke just laughed at that. “Noted. Don’t worry, I’ll come back by nightfall. Let’s meet in the cantina for dinner then? I will bring Han and Leia, too.”

Claire felt her heartbeat quicken. Stop it, she thought, he’s just being polite. Her voice still wavered a bit.

“T-that sounds great.” She paused, then added a phrase she had heard others often say, finding it appropriate for a wielder of the force. “May the force be with you, Luke.”

The comm. link ended just as she heard the tauntaun walk out into the storm.

Valerie looked at her expectingly. “Did I hear something about a dinner date?” She asked with a grin.

Claire felt a flutter in her chest and couldn’t help the smile creeping onto her face. “We agreed to meet up for dinner.” She said as calmly as possible.

Valerie’sface lit up. “I knew it! There is something between you two, don’t deny it.”

“He’ll bring Han Solo and Leia with him.”

Valerie’s cheerful expression dimmed. “Of course he will.” She exhaled. “Well, I can’t let you go in there and have to face him on your own, so I’ll come with you. For support.”

Claire tried to hide her grin. Sure, for support. Nothing else.

The hours seemed to go by slower than usual. After lunch, Valerie and she made their way to one of the hangars. When they found the Millennium Falcon there with the Wookie and Han Solo working on it, Valerie deliberately ignoring the man, they sat down in a corner and filled the hours with talking.

“What was it that you wanted to tell me?” Valerie asked then and Claire struggled with herself. Should she really tell her?

“You can tell me, Claire, I won’t laugh.” This was one of the rare moments where her friends seemed to be deadly serious.

Claire nodded and exhaled slowly. “That evening you came into my room, I...I lied. I didn’t break the cup. Well, I did, but not like that.”

Valerie raised a brow. “Not like...that.”

“I someone was able to lift the cup with only my mind. It floated, Val, it floated on its own!” Saying it sounded even more ridiculous. 

Valerie nodded slowly. “I have always thought that there was something else about you. I felt it.” She put a hand on Claire’s. “You have a rare gift, Claire, one that only me and Skywalker seem to have as well. The force, it spoke to you. You can use it and with training, you will be able to do the same as us. Luke might not be the last Jedi after all.”

Claire stared at her with her eyes wide open. The force? She was able to wield it? But...how? Why her?

“I...do you really think that I...”

Valerie smiled. “Trust me. Trust the force. You made your first steps into a larger world. I can’t wait to see the look on Skywalker’s face when you tell him. You have to tell him!”

Some kind of invisible burden seemed to fall from her shoulders and Claire laughed. She, a force user? What were the odds?

The hours passed, they continued to talk while Solo and his Wookie continued working on their ship. Soon the sun set and it got darker. Claire looked up into the direction of the entrance from outside the hangar. Where was Luke? They wouldn’t have missed his return. He should be back by now.

They walked over to another worker, but only got confirmation that he hadn’t returned yet. Claire looked out into the snowstorm. Had there been an accident? Her heart began to speed up in panic.

“What do you mean he hasn’t returned yet?” Came the voice of Han Solo from behind them, him joining the group.

“There might have been a problem or he may return later on. Either way, we can’t send out patrols in that weather and now that the sun is setting-“ The man informed them, but Solo disrupted him.

“He’ll die out there and you know it.”

Claire felt helpless, staring outside into the now almost completely dark sky. What could they do?

A minute later the sound of a tauntaun rang through the hangar, Han Solo on top of it.

“I’ll look for him myself.”

“Sir, you can’t possibly-“

“Send patrols out with the first light of day, you hear me?”

“We will, I promise,” Claire said. “Please, find him.” She added.

He smirked. “I will. You will get that dinner.”

Claire was taken aback. How could he know..?

Han took the reins of his tauntaun and put on his snow goggles.

“Don’t die out there,” Valerie commented to which he only huffed.

“Don’t worry about me, princess.” He said, then he was out of the hangar and swallowed by the storm.

They didn’t sleep that night, sitting at the far end of the hangar. Princess Leia had joined them a few hours later, bringing blankets and tea. While talking to her they learned that she was a pretty nice person to be around, she and Valerie bonding over their mutual dislike for Han Solo.

When morning came, the snowstorm had settled more or less. The base was just beginning to wake up.

With the first light, they were up and running towards the comm. room. They waited anxiously as the first pilot patrol made their way over the icy surface, looking for survivors. Claire clenched the headset as the minutes passed, Valerie and Leia listening over her shoulders.

“Comm. Base. I found them. They are alive.” The voice of the pilots came over the comm. link. Claire closed her eyes and sighed in relief. They were alive. They made it. She smiled.

Valerie and Leia held each other in their arms, laughing.

“Let’s go and meet them in the hangar. They have a lot of explaining to do.” Leia said and the three women left the room towards the hangar, feeling relief wash over them. Everything would be alright.

———


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the snow storm. And unexpected guests.

**Chapter 5**

Valerie looked over to Claire, her eyes filled with sympathy. They were all standing in the medical bay of the base, watching Luke Skywalker’s unconscious form float in the bacta tank. It’s been about half an hour since Han Solo and he had come back alive after spending a night in the harsh and below freezing conditions of the ice planet. Luke had been unconscious ever since and that hadn’t helped Claire’s mood in the slightest. When she had first seen him, she had believed him to be dead.

Don’t worry. That had been what he had said. And still, she had done exactly that, and seeing him float around in the healing liquid didn’t calm her fast-beating heart. Before she had seen his lifeless form, she still had hope that he would come back smiling as always, joking with Han Solo about their adventure. But this was Hoth, the reality was different. People died every day for the cause, she knew that. But that even a Jedi wasn’t save was something that came crashing down on her.

She looked at his face protected by the mask feeding him oxygen, avoiding looking at his bare chest, not wanting to breach his privacy. She knew that hadn’t the situation been so dire, she would have started to feel embarrassed. What, if he never woke up?

She breathed out, closing her eyes for a moment. He would be okay. The medical droid had told them so.

The hand of her best friend on her shoulder was like a lifeline she held onto. Valerie smiled at her assuringly. “He’ll wake up soon, don’t worry.” Even she knew that this wasn’t the time to crack a joke.

Claire looked at Leia and Han standing next to them. Leia seemed to share her concern for Luke, pacing around the room. Even Han was silent, but he was more relaxed, now, that they knew Luke would be fine.

“Honestly, the kid is something else. Was constantly murmuring about Obi-Wan Kenobi and a planet called Dagobah when I found him. And still, he pulled through.” He said, and Valerie raised an eyebrow. Was that something like pride for another person coming from that smuggler?

“We will wake him up now. Please move on to the patient room. He will be with you shortly.” The medical droid told them with a calm voice.

Claire and Leia sat down in the next room next to one of the beds, while Han and Valerie kept standing, with Han leaning against one of the walls, making both Valerie and Leia roll their eyes. Claire fought the urge to bite her nails, as nervous as she was. Then, after a few minutes, the door slid open, and in walked a limping Luke, supported by the medical droid. Claire’s heart clenched in worry as she saw the scars covering his face and the part where he had to have lost a lot of blood. What had happened to him?

But when Luke sat down on the bed and the droid left the room, the Jedi was smiling tiredly.

“I’m sorry I kept you guys waiting and worrying. I didn’t mean to cause any trouble.” He said, looking slightly embarrassed.

“You are lucky you made it, kid,” Han said dryly and Leia punched him in the side.

“What he means to say is, that he is glad you’re all right.” She looked over to Claire and Valerie. “We stayed up all night waiting to hear any sign of life from you. You had some of us really worried.” Her eyes found Claire’s and she smiled in a way that made Claire blink a few times. What was she..?

She turned to face Luke with a hesitant smile. “I felt terrible to let to go out there, even though I had a bad feeling.”

He huffed and put a hand on her arm. “I told you not to worry. And you see, I’m totally fine. We can all still have dinner.”

Tears crept into Claire’s eyes just as she laughed at his attempted joke. He would be okay. He was here, with them. Without really knowing why, acting on impulse, she moved and carefully hugged him, her face against his shoulder, shakingly exhaling, trying not to hurt him. For a second he came to a complete halt and an icy feeling settled in her belly. She had crossed an uncrossable line right now, right? They were barely friends, he clearly didn’t really-

But then he slowly brought up his arms and hugged her back. She could feel him smiling against her. A warm bubble erupted in her stomach and for just a moment they stayed that way, eyes closed, just enjoying the moment.

But that moment ended abruptly when Han cleared his throat. “Should we just leave now, while you two...” He began but was silenced by a glare from Valerie that would have even Darth Vader himself drop dead to the ground. Leia looked between the two of them and smiled to herself, trying not to laugh.

Claire was just stepping back again with a red face, trying to find the right words while Luke looked at her with kind eyes, when a blaring alarm made them all jump out of their skins, looking up at the ceiling. Within seconds they were all on their feet, with Luke throwing over a coat and stepping into his usual boots.

“The Empire is here. They found us. I can feel it.” He said with a serious tone in his voice. Valerie froze for a moment, her hand on her lightsaber.

“Let them come.” She said. “They’ll suffer the same fate as the first time.” She said, boiling with inner turmoil.

Outside they heard people running around, screaming orders to each other. They stepped out into the corridor, looking at the chaos around them, the alarm going off in the background.

“Pilots to hangar two. I repeat, all available pilots to hangar two immediately.” A voice said over the speaker and Luke and Leia looked at each other.

“We have to go. I have to rally the pilots and Luke is one of the best of them.” Leia said, already half-way across the corridor, with a determined expression on her face.

“But, he has just woken up, how can he-“ Claire voiced her concern, stepping out of the way of another line of pilots running in the opposite direction.

Luke put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed down gently. “I’ll be fine. Really. You will be needed in the comm. room. We will meet up after all this is over.” He put on the vest a person handed him before they quickly disappeared again. “May the force be with you all.”

With that, he and Leia hurried off to the hangars. Valerie unbuckled her lightsaber. “Let’s go. They won’t enter this base as long as I live.” And Claire knew that she was dead serious.

“You guys do that. I for myself will find chewie and get my ship ready to get out of here.” Han said and hurried off.

“Coward!” Valerie shouted after him, but with the alarm and the shouting of people around them, her words were lost.

Claire took her friend’s arms and together they ran in the opposite direction, towards the comm. room. Claire’s heart was beating so fast, she feared it would burst her rib cage. This was the first time they experienced a serious threat since joining the rebellion. She tried to calm her nerves while they were running across the base, past pilots and groups of rebels headed for the surface to fight the ground troops of the empire.

When they entered the comm. room she held onto Luke’s words. They would meet up and see each other again. They had to.

Managing the comms was a mess. Claire and Valerie had so much to do that they couldn’t even think about anything else. They listened as the snowspeeder Rogue Squadron led by Luke tried to take down the AT-ATs of the empire. With each pilot they lost, the atmosphere in the room became denser. Soon it was clear: They wouldn’t be able to win this.

“We have to evacuate,” Leia said, having joined them again. “They destroyed our power generator. Everybody leave this room to the transports. Hurry.”

All around them people started to run to the door, heading to the hangars.

“We have to go as well,” Leia said to Claire and Valerie, who was still standing in the room while the walls started to crumble around them, snow falling from the ceiling. She didn’t move.

“Valerie? Come on!” Claire tried to reach out to her friend.

The door opened again and running in came Han Solo, ordering them to follow him to his ship. “We don’t have time for this, let’s go!” He grabbed Valerie by the arm and that seemed to work. They began running to one of the hangars.

“Let go of me!” Valerie said and broke away from him, her lightsaber in hand.

He only rolled his eyes. “If you would rather die here I will let you do that. Everybody who doesn’t have a death wish, follow me!”

Valerie swallowed down her response as they all ran on. The base was empty, everybody seemed to have been able to evacuate.

They rounded a corner. Suddenly a deafening boom sounded from above them and the ceiling began to collapse. Claire looked up with wide eyes just as the snow came crashing down between them. She threw herself out of harm's way, covering her head. She heard Leia scream.

When she looked up again, a thick barrier had formed between her and the others.

“Are you all right, Claire?” She heard Valerie’s muffled voice from behind the snow wall. “Talk to me!”

Claire slowly came to her feet. “I’m...I’m okay, Val.” She looked at the wall. “It’s too thick, I have to find another way. You guys continue to the Falcon. I will find another way out!”

“But-“ Valerie said, but Han disrupted her.

“Let’s go, move. If she says she’s fine, she’s fine.”

“Go, Val. I’ll meet you when we are out of this mess!” Claire said, trying to sound more confident than she really was.

She had to find her own way out. Without a weapon and with the constant fear of being detected. Had the troops of the Empire already found a way inside? Her heart hammering in her chest, she ran in the opposite direction.

After a few corridors, Claire heard the sound of a door being blasted open and hid behind a corner as stormtroopers stormed the base, running into the opposite direction. Claire closed her eyes and waited until they were out of reach. Then, she quietly opened another door that led to the hangars.

She ran inside one of them. There was nobody there, just one lone x-wing standing near the entrance, ready for launch. A droid was sitting at one of his sides. She swallowed hard. She didn’t know how to fly. Would she be able to take off? She had to try.

Just before she reached it, another person came running into the hangar from outside.

“Claire, is that you?”

“Luke? What are you doing here?” Claire shouted back, them meeting half-way at the ship.

“No time to explain. Climb into the back. It’ll be tight, but there’s enough space.” Luke said, sounding out of breath. He handed a helmet to her, which she put on with shaking fingers. Then, they sat down inside the ship. Luke closed the hatch.

“Try to relax. I will do most of the flying. Just press the buttons I tell you too, okay?” He said through the headset. Claire nodded frantically, trying to slow her breathing. “R2 and I will get us out of here.” He pushed a few buttons and the ship took flight, moving towards the exit.

“Hold tight.”

Claire closed her eyes just as the x-wing darted out of the hangar and into the sky.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The alarm was still going off in the background as the walls were shaking under the assault of the Empire. Valerie grabbed her lightsaber tighter while running through the shaking corridors of the rebel base, running after Han and Leia. When they rounded another corner, she briefly closed her eyes, trying to sense her best friend through the force. To see, if she was still alive. She had to be. When she found the familiar feeling of Claire’s soul in the void she would have laughed if the situation wasn’t so grim. She was alive. And she was not alone. Luke was with her. They would make it. With a relieved sigh she concentrated on her own situation. 

“Through here!” She heard Han’s voice when she looked up, the former smuggler standing next to a small door leading to a hangar. Leia ran through the door without hesitation and up the ramp of the Falcon, where the Wookie was already waiting for them, together with a golden protocol droid Valerie didn’t recognise. “Come on, princess, move your butt!” Han shouted as Valerie risked one last look behind her. She could sense the enemy getting closer. The feeling almost crushed her lungs. There was a particularly strong one with them, someone she had never wanted to meet again. She recognised it from the time her home planet had still been under the Empire’s control. Now, a small part of her wanted to do nothing more than to fight one of the men responsible for the dark times of Alcitria. But she forced herself to look ahead again. They really didn’t have time for this. Had she been alone...maybe it would have been different.

But these people needed her and she wouldn’t risk their lives for her own revenge. Not even that of that arrogant smuggler, who was now reaching out for her, when she seemingly wasn’t quick enough in moving to the ship. “Don’t you dare touch me again!”

She snarled and sent him her best death glare, to which he only raised an eyebrow and followed her up the ramp. Once they were inside, he pushed a button, and the ramp closed. While Han was running towards the cockpit with his Wookie, Leia and Valerie stayed in the ship’s main area, inspecting it. It was in rough condition, that was clear. When Valerie met Leia’s eyes, they had the same opinion: They probably wouldn’t make it to hyperspace in that piece of junk. When they stepped into the cockpit, Han and the Wookie were already busily pushing buttons. The pilot cursed and hammered his hand against the wall, while Valerie rolled her eyes. That wouldn’t work. To her surprise, the ship seemed to come to life, lights flickering.

“C’mon, don’t leave me hanging.” Han cursed under his breath.

“That doesn’t seem to work,” Valerie remarked dryly, crossing her arms. Han looked up to her, clearly stressed.

“You think so, princess? Why don’t you come up with a better idea then?” The Wookie gave out a low whining growl and Han turned to him.

“Don’t you dare say that, Chewie. This ship has saved our asses so many times, it will do out again!”

“Would it help if I went outside and pushed?” Leia chimed in and Valerie had to give it to her. She was beginning to like her.

“It might,” Han responded sarcastically. Leia just sighed. Valerie was about to say something in Leia’s defense when she felt the suffocating presence of the Empire coming closer. They would be here soon. They had to get off this planet. Now.

“If you don’t get that ship out of here in the next minute, it will be too late!” She shouted while she was already running towards the ship ramp, lightsaber ignited and ready. If they would truly breach the walls, she would be ready. “What do you think you’re doing! This is suicide!” He responded in a shout. “Well somebody has to do something!”

She reached out with the force, closing her eyes. She didn’t feel Claire’s or Luke’s presence anymore. They had to have made it. At least that was sure. For herself, that it wasn’t. When she heard the door open and the first blasters being fired at the ship, she was just about to push the button to open the ship ramp and confront them, when Han let out a triumphant scream and the ship began to move suddenly, making Valerie fall to the ground, her lightsaber retracting into the blade again. Within a few seconds, they were out of the hangar and soaring into the sky, on their way into space. Valerie had just joined all of them in the cockpit, Han and Chewie in the front, and Leia and Valerie behind them, when they left the planet’s atmosphere, preparing for the jump into hyperspace.

“Good thing you at least managed to not get us killed!” She directed at Han, rolling her eyes as she put her lightsaber onto her belt again.

“You are one to talk.” He responded, not looking up.

“You really think you would have been able to fight a whole squadron on those storm troopers and this dark lord all on your own?” Valerie didn’t respond. He had a point. She wouldn’t have been able to defeat them all, least of all Vader. But she would have maybe bought the others enough time to flee. She knew she would have happily given up her life knowing them to be save.

“If it matters,” Leia said. “I’m glad you are here with us.” Valerie smiled at her in silent thanks.

“That makes one of us.” Was Han’s response. Suddenly something hit the ship from behind.

They looked up just in time to find three star destroyers headed their way, Tie fighters already in attack formation.

“Oh no. The Imperial fleet is right ahead of us!” The golden droid chimed in. Han rolled his eyes. “I can see that.”

He said and pulled the Falcon down, away from the oncoming danger. Leia and Valerie tried to hold onto their seats as the ship was plummeting down. The tie fighters followed them, shooting laser beams that just narrowly missed them.

“Everybody out!” Han commanded.

“I will get us away from here even if it is the last thing I do. I’m assuming none of you know how to man the canons, so just go to the main room and pray we make it.”

Valerie wanted to respond with a sarcastic comment, but Leia just shook her head and she bit her lip, swallowing her words down, for another time. Insults wouldn’t help them now. On their way to the main area, the ship made a sharp turn which threw them to the ground. Valerie looked down another corridor, seeing the window with the canon at the end. She got an idea.

“You take the droid and move on, I’ll try to help get away from those tie fighters!” She said, already half-way through the corridor.

“You really know how to handle that thing? Good luck then, I’m sure you are more capable of defending us successfully than that nerf-herder.”

Valerie grinned and gave a thumbs-up, before going the rest of the way and sitting down in the chair, her hands on the controls, spinning around. She exhaled slowly as she saw the first of the ships pull into reach. She could do it. Even though she hadn’t really had much experience with flying a ship, she had learned multiple ways of defense in her royal court. And she had to trust the force.

“Please, just let this work once.” She murmured, just as the board gave the signal that the tie was in reach. She pulled the trigger. It was missed by just a few metres.

“Dammit!” She screamed just as another load of laser beams hit them. Then, they were in reach again. The board gave the signal and with closed eyes, she pulled the trigger again. “Impressive shot, even for you, princess!”

She could hear Han’s voice over the comm. speaker as she opened her eyes. She had done it. She had destroyed one of them. She couldn’t help herself, she had to laugh. But her triumph was short-lived when something other than a laser hit the side of the ship.

“What was that?” She asked over the speaker.

“Asteroids.” Came Han’s reply. Asteroids?

With a jump, Valerie was half-way through the ship and ran into the cockpit, just as they manage to fly past a huge one. She heard the crashing sound behind them, taking another tie down. “You won’t fly into that, right?”

She asked him, the Wookie seemingly supporting her with a growl. “They would be crazy to follow us, wouldn’t they?”

He just said, commanding the Falcon to fly further into the field. Valerie sat down behind him. “You can’t be serious! You don’t have to do that to impress us and certainly not me.” “Hold on tight, princess. I know what I am doing.”

She sincerely doubted that. But after a few minutes without them having ended up as a dust pile on one of the asteroids, she had to give it to him. He truly was an impressive pilot. She shook her head. What was she thinking? They made it through the next couple of asteroids, a giant one directly in front of them. “Let’s hide in that cavern,” Han suggested and for lack of a better idea, Valerie just nodded. Han let the ship do a flip and they safely landed at the bottom of the dark pit. “Now, if you don’t mind, I have to repair that hyperdrive,” Han said and stood up.

“Come, Chewie, let’s go.” Valerie just sighed and tried to relax, hearing the imperial fleet high above them.

A few seconds later, Leia joined her in the cockpit, sitting down next to her. “You managed to talk to him normally? Wow, he must really like you, Valerie.”

She grinned. Valerie couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, sure. I would rather smooch the Wookie than him.”

Leia just shook her head. “Sure, you would.” Valerie grinned and looked out into the deep darkness. Nothing seemed to move out there. It was quiet except for the cursing of Han and Chewie’s responding growls. Wait. She looked outside again. There it was...some sort of slimy yellow creature. Her eyes widened. They weren’t alone.

“We aren’t alone. Let’s go!” She said and unbuckled her lightsaber, running out of the cockpit to tell Han.


End file.
